Eight Months

Sydney Lu turned 8 months today.  I can't keep up!  Time is going too quickly.  Sydney has always had a very calm, go with the flow demeanor.  But within the last few weeks, she has come alive and turned in to an active, busy, crazy animal- just like her sister was (is).

Sydney crawls up on her knees, and pulls herself to stand on anything and everything; furniture, my legs, bathtub, her toys, etc.  People often ask if I think Scarlett was more active or Sydney, it used to be an easy question to answer; Scarlett, of course!  Now a days, I'm not so sure what the answer would be.  

 Sydney is a terrible sleeper.  Up until a week ago, she was still waking up twice at night to eat.  We got her down to once at night for a few days, and now she is teething, and waking up every 3 hours.  Not fun.  She takes two decent naps each day, which is wonderful.  We're still waiting for some teeth to show up, and some hair.

 Scarlett is Sydney's favorite person.  After we drop Scarlett off at preschool, Sydney leans forward in her car seat and stares sadly at her sister's empty seat.  When we pick Scar up from school, Sydney is wild with squeals, squirms and excitement.  Scar is always happy to see her, too.

 Sydney loves food.  She will eat baby food, but prefers whatever is on your plate.  Today she shared some of my salmon and avocado for lunch.  She loves meat (all kinds), avocado, grapes, cheerios, pasta, bananas, tomatoes, and sometimes bread.

 Sydney gives big open mouth, lip-licking kisses.  She will lean in if you ask for one, only if she is in the mood.  She reaches for you if she wants you to hold her.  She is a bit of a Mama's girl, which I don't mind.  But she still gets very excited when Daddy gets home from work.  She is easily distracted and very difficult to bottle feed if there is anything going on around her.

 Sydney loves to sit in the shopping cart, and in high chairs at restaurants.  She screams, really screams, if she is not getting something she wants.  She won't stop until you either give her what she needs, or you distract her with something else.  That makes her sound difficult, but she really is a very easy baby.  Even if Syd misses a nap, she doesn't get grouchy.  She babbles all day.  By the look on her face, you just know she is telling you something very important.  

Sydney and Scarlett can play and entertain each other for hours.  They have such a sweet relationship, and I know it will just continue to grow as they do.

Happy 8 months, baby girl.  We love you!

It's Not PREschool...

Blog!?  What?!  Since my last post in July, I am behind on Father's Day, a trip to Lake Tahoe, Rob turning 30, Sydney turning six, and seven months old, and a trip to Utah.  But we've got something bigger than all of that.  My almost three year old started school last week.

No, she is not attending preschool.  Just school.  She will correct you if you do not call it school.  We decided to enroll Scarlett in Napa Valley Nursery School, a co-op, where parent participation is heavy, as in, I work in the classroom 2-3 days per month.  I fell in love with the school and the teacher when I went to their open house last winter, and though a co-op was not something I was interested in, I am so glad we chose this school.  Scarlett LOVES school.  Like, a lot.  And it seems to have unleashed even more energy and creativity, which I didn't even think was possible.  After spending an afternoon with Scarlett for one of her speech pathology classes, my friend Erin said, "social interaction is Scarlett's crack".  So true.  And we couldn't love her busy little self any more than we do.

This adorable little picture (snapped during our Fuller family photos in Utah) hangs proudly in her very own cubby at school.

 Our first day of school picture is not great.  Mommy was in manual, and snapped the picture, realized she needed to adjust her settings, and then bam!  Battery died.  Poor planning on my part.  But isn't she amazingly adorable?

 I worked in the classroom on the first day of school so we got to go early and set up, and stay after and tidy up.  What I did not get to do was take a lot of pictures (except for the ones I took on my phone.  One day, I will download them).  So on the second day, Sydney and I followed Scarlett around for about 30 seconds until it was obvious she didn't want to be bothered with us while at school.  She is so happy to be there, and I am so happy she is there, too!  She starts each day at this fun little water station... but like a good girl, doesn't get too wet, and though she paints a bazillion pictures, she comes home with clothes free of paint.  Yay!

I can't believe I have begun the first of many, many, years of school.  Bittersweet.